Image of Katie West by Katie West.
Recently I wrote about and posted images in the shameless self-portrait post, and I discussed perspectives on why girls like me do such things, how others see it, and how it feels. The resonant meaning. The power, and the relationships it informs with self and others. My online pal Katie West has been doing the same thing for a while now (she even has this self-published terrific book of her own work you should buy) and she’s inspired me more than once. You have to be logged in to see and read her most recent self-portrait and the text that goes with it, so I’m re-posting it in full here for those who don’t want to have to join a service to read this incredible piece of writing, and see Katie’s image that goes with it. Here’s Katie:
People sometimes find it strange that I post pictures of myself naked on the internet. Yeah, I guess it’s strange, maybe? But does it matter?
Being naked just happens, and why not? When I’m naked, I don’t notice I’m naked. I forget that I’m indecent. When I shoot with people, I think they find this amusing. I know Chad Michael Ward did. He made many sarcastic remarks about how I should stop being so shy about my nudity. But I can’t help it, being naked is easy, and less complicated, in many ways, in many instances. Sex is easy; it’s that language I understand no matter who with, and no matter where.
I’m sure one day, I will stop being so candid with my naked body. (Does that sentence even make sense? Can you be candid about nudity? Sure, why not. Anyway.) One of these days will be the day when I decide I no longer feel like being naked. I will no longer be young. I will feel self-conscious about my body, maybe. I might feel my skin has sagged in all the wrong places, or that I can no longer twist and writhe to my satisfaction. Maybe I will gain weight and no longer be comfortable being naked, because I won’t be able to stop comparing myself to myself. I might just feel that for a woman my age, being naked on the internet is highly inappropriate.
However, I do not know when this day will come, if it ever will. I don’t feel these things now, but I am only 25. You can feel free to ask me again in 10 years. Maybe when I’m 50, I will have stopped, and I will look back, and I’ll have this entire collection of photographs of myself taken over the last 35 years and I’ll be able to see certain things. I will be able to see defeats in the curve of my back, victories in the thrust of my chest, and heartaches in the way my arms hold me together. I will have a literal body of work. And though people may never understand it, I will always have it. This honest, ridiculous, stupid and affecting collection of self. (link, flickr.com)
“Maybe when I’m 50, I will have stopped..”
Yes, because sexuality is just for the young. Because women aged 60 + can only reminisce about how hot they USED to be.
What bullshit.
It bugs the hell out of me to hear young women bang on about how they’ll never regret doing nudie stuff because of all the great MEMORIES they’ll have in the nursing home. Memories? Memories! They have such conservative views of the elderly! Believe it or not, sex (including the public variety) isn’t just a ‘memory’ for many of us GILFs out there. Christina Aguilera may be content to hang up her chaps at the sight of a gray pube, but that’s her prerogative. But while she and the other girls are sitting in their rocking chairs, nudie-glory-day photo albums in their laps, I’d remind them that not every senior will share their penchant for knitting and gardening..and to lock up their grandsons!
I’m 40 …
and still lovin’ the naked.
Go Katie.
Hmm. Not really sure what to make of Katie’s collection. It feels like narcissism, but then again, who am I to tell anyone not to love herself?
again, amen. a-the-fuck-men.